No place to wait: Broken benches, litter, and missing shelters frustrate bus commuters in Bengaluru

Since the introduction of the Shakti scheme, which provides free bus travel for women passengers, Karnataka has seen an increase in ridership, but various issues, like the low frequency of buses in certain areas and the condition and distribution of bus stops across Bengaluru, have made accessing public transport a hassle.

As the summer picks up heat, commuters raise concerns about the condition of bus stops in Bengaluru. It’s three in the afternoon, and a crowd has gathered around the HBR Layout bus stop, some waiting for the past 25 minutes for a bus. The broken benches in the shelter force commuters to stand among scattered litter piles. Just as they spot a bus arriving, two autorickshaw drivers decide to park right in front of the shelter.

Since the introduction of the Shakti scheme, which provides free bus travel for women passengers, Karnataka has seen an increase in ridership, but various issues, like the low frequency of buses in certain areas and the condition and distribution of bus stops across Bengaluru, have made accessing public transport a hassle.

The issue has affected the city’s students, too, many of whom depend on buses as their sole means of transportation. “The Vasanth Nagar bus stop is built right next to an open drain, making it difficult to stand and wait for a bus there. Most people don’t even stand there because of the smell and the proximity to the drain,” says Ananya, a fourth-year student of Mount Carmel College.

Many, tired after a long day, are forced to deal with broken seats, garbage scattered all around, and inconsistent stoppage by BMTC buses.

Rajarshi, a 14-year-old student, says, “‘At my place in Puttenahalli, BMTC drivers stop at the bus stop at their convenience. The bus stop is mostly surrounded by trash, even early in the morning. Garbage trucks dump the waste right there.”

Many bus shelters in Bengaluru face the issue of having little to no infrastructure, with crowds gathering at spots where they expect buses to halt.

Preeti Mishra, a 49-year-old yoga instructor, suffers because of this daily, saying, “We have to look at a crowd that has gathered and assume that’s the bus stop. At Old Town, I have to catch the bus at the signal. It’s the same at Santhe Circle as well.”